Resilient shackle for mine cars



Oct. 18,1927. f Y J F CONNOR 1,645,540

RESILIENT SHCKLE FOR MINE CARS Filed sept. 26, 1923 Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN E. OOONNOR, OE CHICAGO, rLLrNos, AssrsNoR, BY iviEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, To W. I1. MINEB, rNo., A CORPORATION or DELAWARE.

EEsILIEN'r sHAoxLE Een MINE CARS.

Application filed September 26, 192.3. Serial No. 664,890.

This invention relates to improvements in resilient shackles for 4mine cars and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive'device adapted to act as a cushioning means for buff and draft shocks between vehicles, the arrangement being especially adapted for mine cars.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal, sectional view of the adjacent ends of two niiri-e cars, showing my improvements in connection therewith. Figure is a top plan view of the structure illustrated in Figure 1. And Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view corresponding sul staiitially to the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

In said drawing, each mine car is shown as provided with a suitable heavy flooring 10 and a vertical end wall 11, the flooring 1 0 being cut away to provide a pocket, as in dicated at 12 to accommodate the connecting or coupling members. At opposite ends, each car is also provided with a draw bar 13, Each draw bar is in `the form of a fiat plate extending' through the end wall 11 .and se cured at its inner end to the flooring 10.. Adjacenttlie outer end, each draw bar is provided with a downwardly projecting lug 14 abutting the end of the flooring 10. A bolt 15 extending through the draw bar, the outer end of the flooring 10 and atransversely extending reinforcing member 16 at the lower side of theilooring is preferably provided to secure the outer end of the draw bar to the car.

The resilient shackle, as shown, comprises, broadly a pair of yokes A and B; a set of spring plates C; and tWo bloc-ks D and E swiveled to the respective draw bars of two adjacent cars.

The yoke A has side arms 17-17 an'd a connecting section 18 at one end, extended to form a hook 19, the extension being cut away at opposite sides to provide abutment shoulders'20. As clearly shown in Figure 2, the yoke A is divided longitudinally, thereby providing two separable sections, to facilitate assembling of the parts. The` parts of the yoke may be securedtogether in any suit-able manner, preferably by a bolt 120 extending through the part 18 thereof. At the opposite end of the yoke A, the arms v17 are cut away on the inner sides as indicated at 21, thereby providing abutment shoulders 22. f

Intermediate its ends, eachr arin. 17 is en lai-ged as indicated at 23 and provided with an inwardly opening socket 24 having the inner surfaces of the front and rear walls thereof diverging toward the open side of the socket. I

The yoke B is embraced between the arms 17 of the yoke A and has one end thereof laterally enlarged as indicated at 25 to correspond to the cut away portion of the arms 17, thereby providing shoulders 122 adapted to co-act with the shoulders 22 of the yoke A. The enlarged end 25 of the yoke B is bi- 'furcated as shown, providinga pair of arms 26, and the main portion of theyoke is provided with a transverse opening 27 having transversely curved front and rear walls.

Q The set of spring plates C, comprises a series of fiat rectangular plates arranged in face to face contact, forming together a spring unit adapted to absorb the shocks .in buff and draft. The plates composing the set are vertically disposed, extend transversely through the opening 27 of the yoke B and have their oppositeends projecting into the sockets 24 of the arms 17. As clearly shown in Figure 2, the smallest portion of each of the sockets 24 corresponds in size to the corresponding end of the set of plates, and the set of lplates fits tightly between the curved front and rearwalls of the opening 27.

.The blocks D and E are each provided with a centrally disposed, upwardly projecting, cylindrical stem 28, and the projecting end of each draw bar is provided with an opening 29 adapted to receive the stem of one of the blocks. The stein of each block serves to swivelly connect the same to the corresponding draw bar, the block being suspended below the draw bar bythe stem 28 which projects above the draw bar and has a collar 30 fixed to the upper end there@ of, bearing on the upper surface of the draw A upper face thereof in contact with the under surface of the corresponding draw bar.

- To provide proper clearance so that the car is dispos-ed in an opposed relation to the block E of the adjacent car. The block I) efrtendsbetiveen the arms 2G of the bifurcated end of the yoke B and a pin 33 extending transversely through the block and the arms 26 serves to pivotally connect the yoke B to the block. The yoke A is also pivotally connected to the block D by the pin` 33, the latter extending through alined slots 341` in the arms 17. The yokes A and B are thus connected for relative sliding movement by the pin 33 and are adapted to be swung to the dotted line position shoivn in Figure 1 so as to be out of the Way to provide proper clearance when the car is in a restricted space as when the same is being handled on a mine hoist. It Will be evident that the yokes A and B are connected by means of the transversely extending spring plates to swing in unison. at one side of the yoke A to facilitate the raising of the yokes in coupling the cars.

To assemble the parts, the plates C are lirst inserted in the opening of the yoke D, the parts of the yoke A are then placed in position with the ends of the plates extending into the sockets thereof, and bolted together at one end by the bolt 120. rI`he yokes A and B are then pivotally connected to the block D by the pin 33, which also serves to hold the parts of the yoke A assembled.

The block E is extended outwardly beyond the end of the draw bar 13 at the gate end ofthe car and is bifurcated as indicated at 3G to receive the hook portion 19 of the yoke A. A transversely extending bar 3'1" conl nects the outer ends of the arms of the bifurcated portion 36 and is preferably formed integral with the same. The transversely extending bar 37 is adapted to co-act'with the hook portion 19 ofthe yoke A in coupling the ears. As clearly shovvn in Figure 1, the opening` of the hook portion 19 is elongated longitudinaliy, to permit relative movement between the yoke A and the block E so that 'the shocks in buff Will be transmitted through the shoulders 2O of the yoke engaging with the fiat end portions of the arms of the bifureated portion 36, thus relieving the bar 37 of undue strain. It will be evident that the force during draft is transmitted directly from the hook to the bar 37 engaged by the saine, v

A handle may also loe provided.

The normal position of the parts is that shoivn in Figures 1 and 2, the shoulders 122 and the front end of the yoke B being spaced respectively from the shoulders 22and the inner face of the section 18 of the yoke A, and the pin 33 disposed centrally of the slots 3A of the arms 17 of the yoke A. In draft, it is evident that, as the cars are pulled apart the yoke B Will be pulled aivay from the yoke A While the latter is being held by engagement of the hook 19 with the adjacent car thus flexing the set of spring plates C, thereby absorbing the shocks.

In a bufiing action, as the cars approach each other, the yoke B will be forced in-v wardly relatively to the yoke A, which is brought into abutment With the block E and held'by engagement of the shoulders 20 at the ends of the arms of the forked portion of the block. During relative approach of the yokes A and B, the springs composing the set C will be flexed in the opposite clirection to that just described, thereby taking up the bufting shocks. The flexing of the set of spring plates C will continue until the end of the yoke B is brought into abutment with the section 18 of the yoke A and the shoulders 122 and 22 are brought into engagement, whereupon the force Will be transmitted directly through the yokes. In this connection it .is pointed out that the curvature of the front and rear Walls of the opening 27 in the yoke B and the diverging front and rear Walls of the pockets 2A per mit the proper flexing of the set of spring plates C so that a full resilient effect of the same may be obtained. f

I have herein shown and described what l. noiv consider the preferred manner of carr v ing out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come Within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: i 1. In a resilient shackle-for mine ears, the combination with a pairpof relatively movableyokes; of resilient means opposing rela,- tive movement of said yokes; means for pivotally connecting one end of both of said yokes to a car; and means for detachably connecting the opposite end of one yoke to another car.

2. In a connector for cars, the combination with a pair of relatively movable yokes; of a spring resistance unit opposing. relative movement of said yokes; said unit extending transversely of said yokes and adapted to be flexed upon relative movement of said yokes; ineans'for permanently connecting both of said yokes directly to a car; and means on one yoke for detachably connecting it to another car.

3. In a connector for cars, the combination with a yoke having means thereon for detachably connecting it to a ear; of spring resistance means comprising a plurality of flexible plates co-acting With said yoke; and yoke means secured to another car for holding said spri-ng plates, said holding means and yoke being relatively movable.

4. In a connector for cars, the combination with a pair of yokes7 both pivotally connected to one car, said yokes being mounted for relative sliding movement; ot a spring resistance co-acting with said yokes, one of said yokes having means thereon tor detachably connecting the same to another car.

5. In a connector for cars, the combination with a yoke pivotally connected to one end ot' a car; of a second yoke pivotally and slidably connected at one end to the saine .end of said car, said yokes being relatively slidable; spring plates extending through one of said yokes and engaging pockets in the other yoke; and means for detachably connecting the other end of said second named yoke to another car.

6. In a connector for cars, the combination with a pair of relatively movable yokes; of a spring resistance comprising a plurality of flexible plates opposing relative movement of said yokes; one ot' said yokes having means thereon for detachably connecting the same to a car; means for pivotally connecting said yokes to another car to swing in unison in a vertical plane, whereby said yokes may be dropped to a pendent position.

7. In a connector for cars, the combination with a pair of relatively movable yokes; of a spring resistance coacting With said yokes; a block swiveled to one end of a car; and means for securing the yokes to said block, includino' a slidable connection for one of said yo res.

8. In a connector for cars, the combination with means in the form ot' a pair of relatively movable yokes connected to one car, said means having a hooked portion at its tree end, of a spring resistance co-acting with said yokes; co-operating means adapted to be mounted on an adjacent car for detachably and pivotally connecting said second car with said yoke, said means including a fixed element detachably engageable by said hooked portion, the latter and said element providing a slidable connection; and cio-acting abutment faces on said last named means and yoke.

9. In a connector for cars, the combination with a resilient shackle connected at one end to one car and having a portion at its tree end movable with reference to said lirst car said free end portion beingprovided with a hook; means resisting movement of said end portion in opposite directions; means adapted to be mounted on an adjacent car for detachably and pivotally connecting said second car with said movable end portion, said means including a fixed element adapted to cooperate with said hook to provide a sliding connection; and co-acting abutment faces on said last named means and on said movable end portion.

In Witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of September 1928.

JOI-IN F. OCONNOR. 

